High Quality Learning Environments

High Quality Learning Environments

Research demonstrates that a high quality learning environment – which includes the school culture and climate – significantly and positively impacts students’ educational and life outcomes.

While often overlooked by policymakers, the research is clear that the school learning environment significantly and positively impacts students’ educational and life outcomes (Allen and others, 2011).

Whether referred to as a quality school climate (Shindler, 2010), building relational trust (Blankstein, 2004), fostering healthy, safe and supportive learning environments (Parrett and Budge, 2012), establishing resiliency-promoting school environments (Henderson, 2013), or creating a collaborative culture (DuFour and Marzano, 2011); higher functioning schools are defined by a culture of belonging and community, resulting in school transformations that not only improve student success, but also create a school environment of collaboration among administrators, teachers and staff.

No instances of successful school turnaround were found that did not address school culture and there is an almost perfect correlation between school climate measures and student achievement scores (Macneil, 2009).

While it is not the solution alone, improving school climate and culture is the basic building block that generates the good will, and helps build the cultural norms and cooperation needed for all other systematic improvement efforts. And, in chronically underperforming schools, AES believes it must come first!

A Look Inside a High Quality Learning Environment

AES works closely with teachers who intentionally create a culture of trust, cooperation and mutual respect by supporting youth voice and creating opportunities for meaningful engagement in the classroom.

This creates a school climate that encourages dialogue, honesty and discussion, and helps students to feel connected, supported and engaged with the material in a way that initiates deeper learning and creates connection to the content. This clip is an example of one such classroom at a high school in Berkeley, California.

What is a high quality learning environment?

The term “high quality learning environment” encompasses both the school culture and school climate. It generally means the same as “positive or quality learning environment.”

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About AES

AES is a nonprofit dedicated to being an advocate and ally for all vulnerable California students. A research based, advocacy and action organization, AES is committed to ensuring that all California students have the chance to succeed ...
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